Haylie Navarre

A place I could visit again and again is Big Bend National Park. With all of the beautiful national parks in the U.S. this one really holds its own. The landscape along the Texas-Mexico border feels otherworldly with its vast desert and ever-changing river. I love the smells of creosote and petrichor before a rain, the warmth from the sun in the open sky, and the sounds of echos through the surrounding canyons. It's my favorite place to go hiking and camping because I notice something new each time.

The best meal I had abroad was fresh seafood from the Isle of Skye. I was so fortunate to travel to Scotland with my mom, sister, and aunt, and some of my fondest travel memories are from that trip. But the most memorable moment was a boat trip we took to the islands of Rona and Rassay. While we were exploring, our captain prepared the most beautiful meal of grilled langoustine that he'd caught earlier that day, and locally smoked salmon. The experience was made even better by eating it together on the sunny deck of the boat.

My favorite part of any trip is in the unplanned moments. I love the feeling of happening upon something unexpected and delightful that you might not have ever known existed. Like stopping into a random cafe for lunch and two hours later singing karaoke with the owner. Or when a stranger you befriend in your hotel lobby becomes a travel companion who hikes a week-long trail with you. Those aren't the kind of things you can really plan for, but for me, these experiences are always the best memories from my travels.